~~~Gratitude~~~ Opening

Today is a mix of rain, sleet, and SNOW!  Big crazy flakes that make me laugh like a lunatic, even though I know they mean nothing.  This winter loving creature that I am can finally say, YES I am ready for spring!  But, what a difference a day makes, only yesterday we had the most beautiful day.  It was OPENING day around here.  OPENED up my garden shed yesterday.  This got my gardening blood stirring!

Summer comes out of storage!

The last of the ice ~~~ today the pond is free ~~~ toe dipping begins!

The snow/ice hump in front of Duckingham Palace finally melted enough that we could OPEN the door.  I made a new list...the spring list...

Clean the Duck House

Build the Brooder

Order Ducklings!! <3

Prune the Berries

Clean the Cold Room

Summer-ize the Treehouse

Transplant Trees

Clean out Attic

Sew Bathroom Curtains

Transplant Seedlings

.......more I haven't even thought of yet!

Still time for daily walks...more OPENING to come....like the wood trails and.....

Opening Up

We sit amid a growing darkness.
It is growing in me, you have no idea.
I look in your eyes, they are the eyes
of so much love.
To know where you belong is one thing,
but to accept it like opening up to a rainstorm,
to accept it like refusing to run when the
rain comes, but letting it wash you,
is another whole thing,
new and pristine, like clear rivers.
It is another whole thing you ought
to have in your open arms. 

Courtney Kane

love.....

Grateful for OPENING!

It is my intention, each Sunday, to share something that fills me with Gratitude. 

I write ~~~Gratitude~~~ with the wavy lines to represent the gratitude ENERGY~~~~~! 

I hope you will join me and share your gratitude moments. 

~~~Amen, Blessed Be, Namaste'~~~

2 ~ Walk Day

Winter is finally waning.  I celebrated with two walks today.  I am just in from my evening stroll.  It has been a long time since I have gone on an after dinner walk.  It felt absolutely wonderful and relaxing!  I am back to walking on our land so Runa is off leash again.  She enjoyed a romp this morning that included giving chase to the flocks of robins that have returned.  Harder for me to get to the computer these days, just want to soak the sun and above freezing temperatures.  Here is a little photo journal of my close to home journeys...

Ice will be out soon I think!

Water flowing into the pond.

One of my newer gardens heavy on the clay side but will produce amazingly well.
Here is where my garlic is waiting to emerge!

GREEN! I'll take what I can get!

Things to come!

Evening walk...even more snow has melted since morning!

Thaw

Over the land freckled with snow half-thawed
The speculating rooks at their nests cawed
And saw from elm-tops, delicate as flowers of grass,
What we below could not see, Winter pass. 

Edward Thomas

happy walkers
brown preferable to white
my heart is off leash

orah

SPRING MORNING ~ Woodcock Buzz

Runa having a snow bath...hopefully one of the last...

Hemmed in by rotting snow....or so I thought.  I went out early a few moments ago to photograph the mote of melted land that is surrounded by rotting snow.  Yesterday evening I tried to venture near the pond.  A few steps in and I sunk to my knees.  I had intended to write about being trapped and confined to walks on the road.  But the buzzy sound of a woodcock interrupted my thoughts of confinement which was soon followed by wild turkey gobbles ~~~ Spring!  Even though I was only dressed in my robe I took a few steps onto the morning shaded snow.  It held me!  

Not really "dressed" for the occasion but, I didn't want to take the chance that the thaw would happen at any minute so I took a little walk.  Here are a few scenes from my short circuit...as soon as I left the safety of the shadows I began to sink.

With the sound of the woodcock and the sight of swelling pussy willows I say good bye to winter.... finally!  It may interest you to know that I have not left this place for 20 days (walks on the road only exception).  I broke my previous record of 16 days.  Time to let go of my winter solitude and hibernation and embrace the increasing light! (I have plans to go out this evening...my monthly-ish meeting with my spirit sisters for an evening of food sharing and philosophical discussions~~~sweetness)

Good-bye Snow

Welcome Light

"Hope" is the thing with feathers - (314)

BY EMILY DICKINSON

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171619